NITE JEWEL

Over the past few years, LA' s Nite Jewel has honed its pop-funk craft across releases from Italians Do It Better, Mexican Summer and LA's own Gloriette Records. In that time, Ramona Gonzalez's airy but often distant voice has found new gravitas and charisma. Meanwhile, the synth lines have gotten more agile and the bass pops tighter and tighter. The stuttered 80s synth R&B melodies unfold into one another here in ways both giddy and deceivingly nonchalant. This maturation and evolution will all come to a head in early 2012 when Secretly Canadian will release Nite Jewel's proper full-length follow up to her brilliant 2008 LP, Good Evening.

For the past month, Nite Jewel has been hard at work touring in support of Chairlift. Tuesday night she took a step aside to headline her first show at the Bowery Ballroom. Sophia Knapp and Mac DeMarco opened the night, while Nite Jewel took her guests through slam dunk renditions of songs both old and new. Ben Ratliff of The New York Times was there to catch it all, saying, “It was an intense, joyous little set, full of precision, engagement and life force.” Read the full review HERE.

Nite Jewel’s next show takes place at Los Angeles’ Ford Amphitheatre for the Krautrock Classics: An Evening of Cosmic German Music. More information on artists and tickets HERE. Ramona will take her show abroad this summer; European dates to come soon!

In other awesome Nite Jewel news, Peaking Lights recently shared their remixed version of “One Second of Love.” Listen and download below.

Nite Jewel’s “Clive” has been given the Dntel remix treatment. Sped up and chopped to pieces, the new track begs to be moved to. Spin says, “Where once he launched shy confessions into a then-futuristic realm, now Tamborello successfully casts Nite Jewel’s prayerful repose in a strange new light, glimmering of the dance floor but introspective enough for solitary headphone listens.”LISTEN TO THE REMIX AT SPIN.

Nite Jewel takes over NYC’s Bowery Ballroom on April 24th. See her live with Sophia Knapp. Purchase your tickets HERE.

Last week, Nite Jewel stormed Austin’s SXSW with a style and sass all her own. Following the recent release of her sophomore album One Second of Love, it was the kick-off to an epic tour, now in full swing. See her live with Chairlift; check out all the dates HERE.

Playing a handful of showcases and parties, Ramona demanded some serious attention in her energy-packed, live performances. “Watching her dance around, flip her hair everywhere while playing her synth and singing these songs somehow makes the experience all the more human,” writes Now Toronto. Dummy Magazine caught Ramona at the Ad Hoc & True Panther party, saying “Nite Jewel’s got the funk.” We agree. Watch their video of her performing “Memory, Man” above.

For all you foodies out there, Food Republic recently got the low-down on everything food-related in the Nite Jewel camp, including Ramona’s idea to open a restaraunt called Slow Jamz. Eat it up.

Yours Truly sat down with Ramona Gonzalez, the powerhouse behind Nite Jewel, to talk about her new album, One Second of Love, released earlier this week! It’s a behind-the-scenes look at the the album’s composition, from the chord structures and lyrical birth to the awesome mic engineer. Ramona digs into “She’s Always Watching You,” sharing detail on the relationships and interactions that drove the song and the album as a whole. Watch it HERE or click on the photo above. She also recently gave an incredibly insightful interview to Vulture. You’ll definitely want to it read it. As always, Ramona tells it like it is.

With the new album out, Ramona’s in full motion. She’ll hit the road this next week, heading down to Austin’s SXSW for performances at the Secretly Canadian Showcase, Fader Fort, Urban Outfitters Party and more. After SXSW, you can see her live with Chairlift. Full tour schedule HERE.